If you’re a bicyclist, a bus rider, a pedestrian or motorist who frequents the areas in and around the Interstate 680 corridor in Santa Clara County, transit agencies as well as South Bay cities want to hear from you.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority along with California Department of Transportation is preparing the I-680 Corridor Study to develop a strategic plan to upgrade this freeway system.

“The purpose of the study is to identify key improvements for all modes of transportation that promote mobility and connectivity, safety and security, support economic vitality and stability,” said Brandi Childress, VTA’s public information officer.

She added the study along I-680 extends approximately 10 miles from the Alameda and Santa Clara county line separating the cities of Fremont and Milpitas to Interstate 280, I-680 and the U.S. Route 101 interchange in San Jose.

“The study is a collaborative effort by VTA and Caltrans. Other agencies that are involved are City of Milpitas, City of San Jose and County of Santa Clara,” Childress said, adding this project is meant to upgrade a freeway that has changed little in many decades. “The I-680 freeway in Santa Clara County was constructed in the 1970s with no significant upgrades except for the addition of a southbound Express Lane down to Calaveras Boulevard since its original construction.”

She said about 15 percent of the vehicles entering Santa Clara County do so via I-680 with volumes averaging 11,000 cars for the morning and evening peak hour commute times.

“In addition to congested locations along the corridor, major concerns are weaving traffic on the freeway, the discontinuous nature of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and the lack of good connectivity for local traffic wanting to get from one side of the freeway to the other,” Childress said.

Saying the total cost of the freeway improvement study is approximately $500,000, she noted in 2013 state Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, helped obtain $250,000 in state funding (Caltrans Transportation Planning Grant) for a planning and engineering study on how to relieve traffic congestion in this corridor.

“The remaining $250,000 is being funded by VTA,” Childress added. “The study is scheduled to be completed in February 2016.”

To gain public feedback about this freeway, the study uses an interactive survey map developed by Australia-based site CrowdSpot.

The I-680 Transportation Survey — at i-680corridorstudy.crowdspotmap.com — allows users to place a “spot” on a survey map for issues covering walking, biking, bus, light rail or cars.

“This is the first crowd sourced, interactive survey VTA has done to obtain public input,” Childress said. “We are using technology to gain a greater perspective on the issues people are experiencing in their travels.”

So far, many spots have been located in Milpitas along the San Jose border in places like Landess Avenue. Many more are located along the freeway in San Jose’s Berryessa district.

For example, one user named “Bill” noted on the Montague Expressway and I-680 overpass that “Bicycles are forced to use sidewalks and crosswalks to deal with exiting and merging traffic — a green bike lane would be prefered.”

Farther north, another person — “Becky Jacobs” — placed a spot at the southbound I-680 exit at Jacklin Road in Milpitas due to a walking issue.

“Due to overgrown plants, visibility is very limited at (the) crosswalk for right turn at exit. Eastbound peds can’t see coming traffic, cars can’t see peds trying to cross at light,” she wrote.

Similarly, “AA” placed a spot at the interchange of I-680 and East Calaveras Boulevard, which becomes state Route 237.

“It is inconvenient to drive through Milpitas to get to 237. It would be convenient if there is a direct connection (to) 237/880,” he wrote.

“Conrad” offered his feedback to that comment.

“If the interchanges coming off and onto 680 at Calaveras/237 were converted from clover leafs to controlled intersections this would help eliminate the back up on 680 and make the merging onto Calaveras/237 more controlled,” he wrote.

The area being studied also covers streets near the freeway, including Cropley Avenue in North San Jose where “Neil Bullock” took exception with traffic lights impacting traffic congestion.

“The traffic lights at the intersection of Cropley and Lakewood should be synchronized with the traffic lights at Cropley and Capitol,” Bullock wrote. “This will result in the more efficient flow of traffic and will prevent drivers ‘racing’ the light going westbound toward Capitol and prevent traffic backing up into the intersection with Capitol in the eastbound direction.”

The survey also features a gray shaded area — locations deemed outside of the pre-determined study area for the I-680 corridor in Santa Clara County. Although users can add a spot inside the gray shaded area that includes I-680 locations in Fremont and Alameda County, those selected locations will likely not be included in the final strategic plan.

In addition, the information on CrowdSpot will be subject to monitoring to check for inappropriate content, meaning spots may be edited or omitted. Users may also remain anonymous. However, CrowdSpot says those choosing not to provide personal information in this survey means the company may not provide certain information or assistance.

The public survey started on Aug. 24. Those who wish to participate on the map have until Sept. 24.

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